Barbell Exercises
Squats, deadlifts, presses and rows loaded with a barbell — the movements that carry the heaviest weight for the whole body.
31 exercises
What barbell training is good for
A barbell lets both limbs work together against one load, which is why it's the tool for heavy compound lifting: squats, deadlifts, bench and overhead presses, rows. Load goes up in small increments, the bar path is easy to repeat week after week, and progress is unambiguous — the same lift with more weight on it. That combination makes barbell lifts the backbone of most strength programs and the easiest movements to track over months.
The trade-offs are setup and technique. A barbell fixes both hands the same distance apart, so a stiff shoulder or wrist can't be worked around, and heavy sets need a rack or a spotter. Learn each pattern with a load you can control, keep the bar over the middle of the foot on squats and deadlifts, and add weight only when the last rep still looks like the first. Two to four barbell lifts per session is usually enough; the rest is better done with dumbbells, cables or machines.